News Update – Special Edition!
Partners in the Gospel
At the November board “retreat”, Ned Delmore, Senior Advisor to the Council, presented on the
impact of the “Partners in the Gospel” (PIG) Archdiocesan reorganization and potential
repercussions to our SVdP Conferences. The reorganization will group the parishes of the
archdiocese into “families.” In this process, we foresee the current 48 SVDP conferences,
possibly being reorganized into approximately 22 families. Potential challenges identified in this reorganization include the following:
Structural Challenges:
- Reorganization through PIG is not designed to take into consideration the unique spiritual aspects of our identity as Vincentians along with the varied financial, physical, and human resource needs of our rural, suburban, and urban areas, or the relatively resource-rich north and the need-heavy south and urban center where communities of color reside disproportionately.
- The new Parish Families are unlikely to conform to our current precinct structures, demanding that we adjust our boundaries and possibly our governance structure.
- Some Parish Families will include parishes outside of the King County boundary, and thus potentially, moving one or more of our conferences to other SVdP Councils.
- Although combining and restructuring conferences within parish families may offer opportunities to extend our ministry to areas currently unserved or underserved, it also presents a historic challenge that requires a cultural change and a fundamental shift in our thinking, organizing and planning as Vincentians.
Financial Challenges:
- SVDP as a separate 501 (c) 3 organization, does not fall under the governance of the
Archdiocese, thus leaving SVdP Conferences vulnerable through this process of parish consolidations. - The new parish family structure will face overlapping and competing parish ministries where the new Pastor, his new Pastoral Council, and administrative staff, will determine the future of SVDP, and level of financial support.
- Parish family priests will be faced with their own severe challenges to balance the complex needs of their diverse ministries, as well as providing financial stability for the new parish family while deciding on the distribution of finances for multiple conferences. New parish family configurations will drive the consolidation of conferences and the closing of some.
SVDP currently has little influence outside our own parish PIG listening processes, which results in our inability as a collective to speak on matters that concerns the whole of the ministry and its impact across our county.
In summary, failing to organize a “transition committee” now, and not proactively plan,
prepare and respond will likely lead to unintended and negative impacts on SVDP, with
perhaps more negative impact falling on already stressed conferences and poor communities of color.
Recommendations Moving Forward:
- A motion to develop a formal ad hoc “Transition Committee” was made by China Krismer and seconded by Mary Kay Snedden. A vote to approve the creation of this committee was taken and unanimously agreed to.
- Furthermore, a suggestion was offered by board member Paula Holmes for the creation of a “transition binder” that would assist conferences with the transition.
Qualities Recommended for Transition Committee Members:
- Individuals who listen, are wise, discerning, collaborative, trusting in the Holy Spirit, and more interested in learning than “having an axe to grind.” Individuals who are willing to embrace both the gift and the challenge of reimagining the revitalization and growth of our conferences, and visioning what our SVdP mission can be.
- A transition committee will be appointed by Adelfa Moreno, Council President and
Mirya Roach, Executive Director.
You can send your questions or comments to: Spirit@svdpseattle.org
Seattle Times 2023 Giving Guide
Click below to read the 2023 article in the Seattle Times Giving Guide.
Upcoming Trainings
Upcoming: REQUIRED Grant Compliance Training on 11/28, 12/4, 12/8.
Please select one of the following dates to attend, this is required for all Conferences who currently have grants or plan on applying in the future.